Rotary engine



Aug. 17 1926.

J. E. STAFFORD ROTARY ENGINE l Filed Sept. 5, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 Figi- Aug. 17 1926. r 1,596,694

' J. E. STAFFORD ROTARY ENGINE Filed spt. 5, 1922 z 'sheets-sheet 2 1 E- O 23 17;: gff 7% 1571/2/ da f. 5W@

Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITE stares 1,595,694I rarest orties.

JAMES E. STAFFORD, OF WYNNE, ARKANSAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed September 5, 1922. Serial No. 586,1096.

This invention relates to rotary engine.

A11-object `ofthe invention is to provide an improved rotary engine having novel and eti'cient means for controlling the admisu sion of 'gas thereto.

Another yobject ofthe invention is to provide an improved rotary engine in which the rotor is directly connected With valve mechanism controlling the admission of gas.

Other objects will appear yfrom the tollowing description7 rete-rence beingmad-e to the drawings in which 1 Fig. 1 is a side elevation or my improved engine. i

Fig. 2 is afvertical sectional view transversely of the axis.A

Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view on the yline 3*3 of Fig. 1.1 Y. e

F ig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4,

of Fig. 201* the valve device controlling the admission of gas. Y l

Fig. 5 is a view on the Vline 545 ot Fig. 2 showing the stator `in section and the rotor in elevation.

Fig. 6 is a plan view `ot one ot the valve devices removed from the engine.

VThe stator comprises a cylindrical 'body` including anim-ier Wall 1 `and an outer Wall 2 Xvliiohalre spaced trom eachother to forni a confined space for the circulationV of Water passing thro-ugh pipes 3. End Wall pla-tes 4 are attached'to the cylindrical Walls of the stator tofcompfl'ete the stator cylinder Within Which the rotor operates. y

The rotor 5 is rigid or integral With truni nions (3 vvhich are journal'e'd in bearings f7 in the .end plates 4 of the stator. The 'trait nions 6 are eccentric with respect to the axis of the rotor :so'that one point of the pc'- riphery of the rotor contacts Withthe inner peripheral'surliace. 'of the inner Wall. 1 oi the stator. A fly Wheel Sis attached to one of the trunnions 6. I

The valve mechanism for controlling the admission ol gas to the stator is Vin duplicate. A pair of tubular extensions 9 prov ject -from diametrically opposite sides of the stator and have their outer ends closed by end plates 10 bolted or othervvisesecured thereto. A pipe 11 opens through each of the end plates 10 for the admission of gas, and are equipped with check valves 12 ot iamiliar construction to permit gas to be drawn into the valve housings 9 and to prevent the passage of gas romthe valve housings back into the pipes 11.

Av piston head 113 is operatively mounted iny each- Vot' the valve housings 9, being fat tached to the outer end ol' the 1connection 14. The connections 14 are in the form of plates or blocks, the Width of which is equal tothe diameter ot' th-e abutment housings 9 and in excess of thelength lofthestat-or. y Said parts 14 constitute sliding abutm-'ents to holdl the back pressure after combusti-'on until the full stroke 1s completed. Grooves 15 are formed in the stator end Walls 4 tor the reception of the abutments 14. Extensions 16 (Fig. 6) onthe inner endl of each .ot the abutments 14 embrace the rotor between them. Each of the extensions 16 supports a pin 17 having avroller 18 mounted there- The rollers 118 operate in vannular grooves 19 in the rotor as a result oi which construction the sli-ding abutments l4are reciprocated as anincid'ent to the rotation vof tlre rotor. A passage 2O through each of` the piston heads 13 and through the attached abutment 14 opens into an enlarged pocket 21near the inner end of each ot' the abut- In'ents'14. EachV of the abutments 14 is proV- vided With a port 22 (Figs. 4 and 6) for the purpose :of admitting V gas into the stator from t'hep'oclrets A valve 23 on a stemV 24 is kprovided for controlling eachy oit the ports The stems 24 extend through slots 25 (Fig. 1) 'infone .of 'the ends walls 4 et' 13vt'o closed position by `springs 26 enciri cling` the valve" stems and having their outer- `ends bearing :against heads 27 on said stems and their inner yendsagainst Washers 23.

" `A `cam 29 (Fig. 3) is formed on the rainer side olf the fly Wheel 8 in position to engage l theA heads 27 of the valve stems `and :press said Astems inwardly to open the valves 23g the stator and are actuated to draw the valve and thereby admit gas into the `'stator tor Y compression and explosion in a pocket 30 (Fig. 2) in the rotor. The cam 29 is arranged to open the valve 23 during inward movement of the sliding abutment 13-14. Looking at Fig. 2 the rotorturns in a counter-clockwise direction7` and looking at Fig. 3 it Will be .seen that the cam 29 has passed beyond and released the valve stem 24 at` the lett and is about to engage the valve stem 24 at the right. The gas having been compressed Within the pocket 30 in the position shown in Fig. 2, explosion is caused by the ignition system of which the spark plug 31 is Va part, there being one of said spark Each of the piston heads 13 is equipped With a check valve 32 of familiar const-ruction which opens as an incident to outward movement of the piston head 13 to permit the gas to pass throughthe passage 2() into the pocket 2l and which closes as an incident to inward movement of the piston head to prevent escape of the gas. A

Th-e stator is provided with diametrically opposite exhaust pipes 33. Familar lubricating means 34 is provided for eachl .I do not restrict myself unessentially, but.

what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A l l l. A rotary engine comprising a stator, a rotor Within the stator having a combustion pocket in its periphery, a radial extension from the stator, a slidingfabutment in said extension, means for operating said,`

abutment by the rot-or and holding said abutment in contact with the motorya chamber in said abutment for receiving gas, avalve..

supported by the abutment for movement parallel with the axis ofthe rotor for controlling the passage of gas from said chamber into said combustion pocket, anda cam operated by the rotor for` moving said valve in one direction.4 f

2. A rotary engine comprising a stator having a slot in one Wall thereof, a rotorL within Vthe stator having aj combustion' pocketfin its periphery, a cylindrical extension from the stator, a sliding `abrunnent insaid extension, means for.. operating said abutment by the rotor and holding saidy abutment in kContact With the rotor, a chamber in said abutment for receiving gas,

means controlling the passage of gas into said y Achamber a valve in said chamber controlling the passage of gas from said chamber yinto said combustion pocket, a stem on |said valve extending through said slot in said stator, a device operated by the rotor and engaging 'said stem to move said valve in a direction having a slot-in one wall thereof, a rotor` Within the statorhaving a combustion pocket in its periphery, a eylindrcalextension from the stator,a-sliding abutment in said extension, means for operating said abutment by the rotor and holding said abutment in contact with the rotor, a chamber in said abutment for receiving gas, means controlling the passage of gas into .said chamber, a valve iny said chambery controlling the passage of gas from Isaid chamber into said combustion pocket, a stem on said valve extending-through said slot in said stator, a device operated by the rotor and engaging said stem to move vsaid valve in a direction to permit gas to pass from said. chamber into said pocket, .an element cooperating With `said ,stemy to'move said valve to position to prevent gas from passing from saidcham- 'ber into said combustion pocket, and a pump device operated by said abutment forv forcing gas into 'said chamber and from said chamber into said combustion pocket.

4. A rotary engine, comprisinga stator, a rotor within the stator having-a combustion pocketin its periphery, a cylindrical extension from-the stator, a sliding abutmentr in, 'said extension, `means fol"y operating saidy 1 abutment by the rotor and holding said 1 abutment in` contact with the rotor, a pump device operated by the abutment, a ,chamber in said abutment Ifor'receivingrgas, a valve `supported byi the abutment for controlling the passage of gas from said chamber into the combustion pocket, a camfor 'operating said last-named valve, and means operated yby the rotorffor operating said cam.

. JAMES n.sfrarroimy 

